Ingredients:
-> 375ml(1 1/2 cup) sugar
-> 5ml (1tsp) vanilla extract
-> 5 x-lg eggs ,separated
-> 200ml (3/4 cup) cooking oil
-> 200ml (3/4 cup) water
-> 450ml (1 3/4 cup) cake flour
-> 15ml (1 TBLSP) baking powder
-> 60ml (1/4 cup) cocoa
-> 2ml (1/4 tsp) salt

Syrup
-> 375ml (1 1/2 cup) water
-> 5ml (1tsp) vanilla extract
-> 375ml (1 1/2 cup) sugar
-> 15ml (1 TBLSP) coffee powder

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 190c.
Beat the sugar,vanilla extract and egg yolks together.
Add the oil and water, beating well.
Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Turn the batter into a greased 24cm by 34cm oven pan or scoop  into cupcake liners.

Bake for approx. 30 minutes (if you chose to make it into cupcakes bake only for 15-20 minutes).
I used muffin size cupcake liners.
Makes 21 cupcakes.

Syrup
Heat the ingredients together and pour over the hot cake . Leave it to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

300g callebaut or lindt
250ml double thick fresh cream

Bring the cream to boil, remove from stove and add your chocolate. Mix until all chocolate is melted. Pop into the fridge and stir every 10 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency for piping.
You can add some coffee in your cream when boiling for coffee ganache.

Looking at the ingredients, one is inclined to think that this cake is very sweet, but that is not the case at all.
It can also be served as a dessert.

April is Pecan Month. Let’s celebrate it with some awesome Pecan recipes! Here is one from Pillsbury.com

Maple-Cinnamon-Pecan Pull-Aparts from pillsbury.com

Cinnamon and maple blend lusciously in an irresistible pull-apart sized for entertaining.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 45 – 50 minutes
Total time: approx. 1 hour
Servings: 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon maple flavor or vanilla
1 can (17.5 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Supreme refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8×4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except cinnamon rolls with icing.

2. Separate dough into 5 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into quarters; add to pecan mixture, tossing gently to coat. Spoon roll mixture into pan.

3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate or platter. Spread with icing. Serve warm.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 50 to 55 minutes.

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If you’ve tried this recipe and would like to add your picture to our Flickr Group, here is the link: 100CafeStreet Flickr Group

To celebrate Mother’s Day, we are hosting a Fairytale Brownies Giveaway! 

A couple of weeks ago, we had the priviledge of interviewing Mrs. Eileen Spitalny, the co-founder of Fairytale Brownies. You can read it here.

On April 20, Fairytale Brownies will be featured on “Unwrapped” (Food Network); to celebrate this event they offer FREE SHIPPING – use coupon code unwrapped.

Fairytale Brownies has generously offered a box of Mother’s Day Wishes Medley for this Giveaway. This delightful mix includes a box of Fairytale Wishes® gourmet soft caramels, 6 Magic Morsels, 3 brownies and 6 Fairytale Sprites packed in a gorgeous Mother’s Day gift box.

If you can’t wait or would like to purchase this gift for someone else, please visit brownies.com.

This giveaway is open to US residents only.

How to enter (required): Visit brownies.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of the product you would buy for your mother or a mother you know.

NOTE: If, due to high traffic, you run into problems at brownies.com, please try again later. We have no control over it - to correct the problem. Thank you for being patient and understanding.

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter;
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you fave us in Technorati;
- one additional entry if you StumbleUpon our Founder;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to 100CafeStreet.com and brownies.com
- one additional entry if you follow 100CafeStreet.com via email.

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The giveaway ends on May 5, 2009 at 8pm, Pacific Standard Time. Fairytale Brownies will ship the prize.

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be announced via e-mail and has 2 days to get back to us or other name will be chosen.

Thank you Fairytale Brownies!!:) Good luck, brownie lovers!:)

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RESULTS: This giveaway is now closed. Thank you everybody for participating. It’s been really fun reading your messages. Unfortunately, we have only one prize and it goes to:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

20

Timestamp: 2009-05-06 07:16:00 UTC

Congratulations, Carol! Happy Mother’s Day to everybody!

We are excited to announce that Fairytale Brownies will be featured on the Food Network show called “Unwrapped” on Monday, April 20! Don’t miss this episode about how all these yummy treats are being made and other “behind the scenes” little secrets.

To celebrate this event, on April 20, from 8am-5pm, Fairytale Brownies will be offering 50% off to anyone who walks in the Bakery. If you can’t make it to the Bakery, then you can order online and get FREE SHIPPING. Just mention the code “unwrapped“.

Fairytale Brownies Bakery
4610 E. Cotton Center Boulevard
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85040

As you all know, here at 100CafeStreet.com we LOVE Brownies! That’s why, once in a while, we try a new recipe.

Preparation Time: approx. 20-25 minutes
Baking Time: approx. 25-29 minutes
Total time: 45 – 55 minutes
Servings: oops! we forgot to count! 8-10 at least!!

Ingredients:
8 oz of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. coffee
1 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (toasted)
1/2 cup chocolate-chips

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch pan. (You can use a different size pan.)
2. Melt chocolate, butter and coffee in a saucepan over low heat; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed for approx. 10 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture, flour and salt; mix well. Stir in the nuts and chocolate-chips.
4. Pour the mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 29-25 minutes. (try not to overbake)
6. Cool. Once cool, cut into square pieces (we used a flower cutter and cut the brownies into shapes) and carefully pour chocolate and a sprinkle of walnuts.
7. When cooled completely, store in refrigerator.

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This is a very rich dessert, perfect for guests or people with a sweet tooth! Please be aware that brownies can cause addiction! :)

Please leave your feedback if you try this recipe. We’d love to hear from you! Pictures and recipe may not be re-published without our consent.

Could you please tell us a little bit about you and your passion? How did it all start?

I am a mom of 2 boys and a girl. Ever since my children began school my time stretched out into long boredom filled hours and I was desperate to find something to occupy myself.

I have always harbored a love for baking. It was not until a few years ago a function having crept up at my youngest sons school ,that I produced a batch of cupcakes like no other I have ever made. Moving away from the traditional look of slapping the icing on the cupcake ,my self-created pastel swirls were a big hit. The teachers ,children and parents were very impressed. No one seemed to see such unique swirls before.

My sister-in-law introduced me to Flickr where I discovered a group of talented ladies who were kind enough to encourage and answer my questions.

My ignorance turning to curiosity, I began experimenting on my own. The pictures you see today are the consequences of my playing around with the little knowledge and supplies I have.

Your cakes and cupcakes look absolutely amazing! So simple but so very stylish at the same time. What inspires you?

The possibility of a successful outcome drives me to drastic lengths. The vision of the result begs for me to work harder. What I find most exciting is the challenge of an idea I dreamed up into a reality. I draw inspiration from beauty around me… most times I have no idea what to create and playing with the fondant the Almighty inspires an idea.

Seeing the reaction of family and friends and the joy on their faces inspires me to create these little works of art.(All praises to the Almighty)

What’s your favorite ingredient and why?

I use the finest ingredients available here in South Africa, striving for quality and enhancing flavour and will not compromise…callebaut or lindt chocolate,Nomu Madagascan vanilla extract , Nomu cocoa. The ingredients are the foundation of a good bake.

Contact. How can our readers get in touch with you? Can they order online?

Living in the South African countryside with the nearest city being a 45 min drive my situation does not allow me to create a thriving business. At the present it has to remain more as a hobby.

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All the pictures in this post belong to Cupcakes Land and should not be re-posted without prior consent. To see more of Shamima’s gorgeous creations, please visit her Collection.